Since the passage of the voter-approved Austin Police Oversight Act two years ago, the mission of the Community Police Review Commission has been continually thwarted and delayed. It wasn’t until in August 2024 a judge ruled that APD must make public its secret “G file” of police misconduct that the Oversight Act outlawed and the […]
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Posted inPolice
City delays decision on license plate reader program
After a prolonged discussion during Tuesday’s City Council work session, a proposed extension of the city’s Automated License Plate Reader program is no longer under consideration. “Given concerns expressed today, I have decided to withdraw this item from the agenda at this time to provide more opportunities to address council members’ questions and do our […]
Posted inPolice
Austin has paid out $27 million to people injured by police during 2020 racial justice protests
Austin has paid out nearly $30 million to settle lawsuits over police conduct during protests following George Floyd’s murder five years ago. Most of the settlements were related to injuries caused by police using shotguns to fire lead-pellet bags at demonstrators outside the department’s headquarters in May 2020. A wave of lawsuits followed over police […]
Posted inPolice
External review finds data inconsistencies in APD reporting on use of force
During a special called meeting of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee, Dr. Robin Engel, a Senior Research Scientist at The Ohio State University, presented findings from a recent re-examination of the Austin Police Department’s use of force. Engel said she found the department’s data analyses to be “rudimentary, inconsistent, and inaccurate,” among other concerns. […]
Posted inPolice
Audit flags oversight gaps in APD license plate reader pilot
A recent audit of the Austin Police Department’s License Plate Reader (LPR) program found that while the department largely complied with policies during the yearlong pilot, internal audit procedures and vendor contracts left room for improvement and potential privacy risks. The findings were presented to the City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee this week, as […]
Posted inPolice
Two Years after the Austin Police Oversight Act passed, Community Police Review Commission finally meets
The first meeting of Austin’s long-awaited Community Police Review Commission (CPRC) was marked by urgency and undergirded by a strong sense of duty to a community that has been expecting this meeting for years. The formation of a civilian body to oversee and hold the Austin Police Department accountable should have happened in 2023, after […]
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After court ruling, APD says it won’t cite people for small amounts of marijuana — for now
When an appeals court struck down Austin’s marijuana decriminalization ordinance late last month, confusion and disappointment flooded social media. “So am I a criminal now?” Reddit user Environmental_Ad3964 commented. “So.. I’m kinda confused about what this accomplishes,” another user wrote. Good question, u/DrDrago-4. In the immediate future, the appeals court ruling will not change much about how […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Public Safety Commission discusses firefighter cancer prevention, quarterly Fire Department update, and bylaws
On Monday, the Public Safety Commission (PSC) heard a quarterly report from the Austin Fire Department and discussed initiatives related to firefighter cancer prevention. The commission also conducted business related to their internal Austin Police Department (APD) Training Academy Working Group and Public Safety Wellness Center Working Group, and launched a new internal group to […]
Posted inPublic Safety
City reports fewer crimes, stable crowds in Sixth Street pilot
Data from the city’s efforts to revitalize the Sixth Street Entertainment District show reductions in violent crime and public safety incidents, according to a new memo summarizing the results of a pilot program launched late last year. A recent memo from Development Services Department leadership to City Council reported a modest, but notable, decline in […]
Posted inPolice
Police oversight report shows progress in 2023 data
The Office of Police Oversight received more than 1,500 public contacts in 2023, forwarding 578 complaints to the Austin Police Department and recommending 215 for investigation, according to the agency’s newly released annual report. Of those, APD investigated 138 cases and sustained policy violations in 11, resulting in eight oral reprimands and six written reprimands. […]
Posted inPolice
Council Audit and Finance Committee hears updates on APD recruiting and hiring practices
On Wednesday, City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee heard a briefing on the Austin Police Department’s recruiting and hiring efforts. City leaders have been raising concerns about APD response times and staffing of sworn and non-sworn public safety employees for several years. The presentation this week focused on the findings of an audit on recruitment […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Austin’s redemption arc: The embarrassing recent failures and hard-fought reforms in our city’s response to sexual assault
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. The city of Austin has garnered national attention for its prior failures to investigate cases and support survivors in their healing and, more recently, for its survivor-led reforms. The Austin Monitor took a look back at the recent challenges and victories in Austin’s sexual assault response system. […]